The Denver Nuggets had great success this past season but they Bradley Beal in order to take the next step.
The Denver Nuggets had an impressive 2019-20 season, finishing third in the Western Conference standings before battling with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
However, while their team was solid last season, improving the roster instantly is the next step the team needs to make.
Enter: Bradley Beal.
Last season, Beal averaged a staggering 30.5 points per game, the second-highest scoring average in the league. He also showcased his skills as a playmaker, averaging a career-high 6.1 assists per game.
Perceived to be the biggest All-Star snub in 2019-20, Beal is the first player to average at least 28 points per game and not be named an All-Star since the 1984-85 season.
Barring injury replacement, Bradley Beal is set to be the first player averaging 28+ points per game to not make the All-Star team since Purvis Short in 1984-85.
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) January 30, 2020
The Washington Wizards star guard has been linked to numerous teams in trade rumours, with the Nuggets among those to inquire about his trade availability prior to the 2020 NBA Draft. While a deal has not been made yet, Denver will likely continue to monitor his situation in Washington.
For what it’s worth, the Wizards look like they’re trying to appeal to Beal’s competitive nature.
Trading for 2017 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook and sending star point guard John Wall — who was ready to return to the court for the first time since 2018-19 — to the Houston Rockets, is a move that could backfire in D.C. though.
So, while it’s unlikely that Washington rushes to trade Beal, the trade for Westbrook could still mark the beginning of the end of his tenure there.
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While the Nuggets could certainly wait to see how the development of young and highly-skilled players such as Michael Porter Jr., R.J. Hampton and Bol Bol turns out, the process could cost Denver their championship window.
Yet, with a team full of depth and unproven but promising talents, the Nuggets could logically snag a player like Beal and make a statement in the West.
Furthermore, as it‘s been reported on multiple occasions that the Nuggets are unwilling to part ways with MPJ at this time, it’s likely that a trade package will include Gary Harris or Will Barton.
Beal is a vast improvement over Harris despite the latter’s reputation as a staunch defender, as ‘G’ has been on a gradual decline for several years.
Nonetheless, as mentioned earlier, this all depends on how the Beal-Westbrook tandem plays out in Washington.
According to NBC’s Chase Hughes, while both are ball-dominant players, Beal is adamant that the pair will work out.
"He’s not planning to get in the way of Westbrook’s game and he doesn’t expect Westbrook to do that to him, either. In fact, he has no problem viewing himself as an understudy of sorts, with Westbrook’s resume as a nine-time All-NBA selection and former MVP speaking for itself."
Stating it one more time for the record: a player of Beal’s caliber joining the Nuggets’ would be a win-win scenario for both, as Beal gets to join a legitimate Western Conference Finals contender and Denver gets the player that can get them all the way to the big show.
Should Beal become available, it’s in Denver’s best interest to put a package together for him. If so, they can take the next leap into what hopefully leads to the first championship in franchise history.